Fragments
by Zaan299
Summary: To find is to lose, and to lose is to find. Those are the rules of life as it seems to Namine and the gang. They recently rekindled some broken bonds, but it comes at a cost. Forces are at work and seem to center around a mysterious figure who fights monsters with others. Nami and Kairi also to juggle highschool drama and help out friends in this new life. NamxKai pairing YuffiexOC


**Hey there! I'm usually working on other types of fics, but this idea came to me. I would have typed up on my other fics, but this idea could not be contained! That and I only have limited computer use at the moment. Mine is kinda jacked up, so I won't be updating soon, but I WILL eventually finish this with little to no procrastination.**

**This idea kinda sparked when I saw that lack of fluffy romance stories between Kairi and Namine. I want to rectify that situation so I will give the public this! But I have to warn you that Kai and Nam will be one of two central pairings. The other Pairing will be Yuffie and an OC male character I created. I'm usually for Kai and Yuffie, but I want to go off on a limb here and see how it works! Hopefully this story will be a one off, (god know how many stories I have to write sequels for eventually). This will mainly take place in the AU verse that I set up, that being Twilight Town. There will be other locations, but I will keep the story central to that town.**

**A warning though, this is not a typical high school romance story. You'll eventually see what twists I have! (I've already revealed a bit too much.) There will be plenty of drama and action! As well as fluff and romance. I just hope I can mold all these aspects together.**

**I've babbled long enough!**

**Disclaimer: This is the part where I'm forced to tell you I own nothing, but this story plot, and the OC characters... Se la vee...**

**On with the show!**

* * *

Naminé was tossing and turning on her bed, a fitful sleep took hold of her. She shivered, pulled the blanket close, and tried to make sense of the dream she was having. She had no control over it. And she had become a particularly lucid sleeper.

The dream was not unpleasant however... just confusing in its message. If there even _was_ a message to be gleaned from all the images she was seeing and the phantom emotions that followed. A closer look at these scenes almost made them seem... corporeal.

This confused unconscious blond even more as she shifted again. The images became less disorientating and she could finally observe events without them zooming by fast. She visibly relaxed in her slumber. Now she might be able to see what these scenes mean...

_She was on a small island next to a larger one._

_A red haired girl ran and laughed_

"_C'mon Slowpokes!"_

_Naminé felt herself grinning as she watched the two boys chase her._

_She turned and her eyes bugged out._

_On a bent palm sat a younger version of herself._

_The young Naminé drew in her sketchbook,_

_giving no indication to anything else._

_Naminé sat down next to her young doppelganger._

_She looked over her shoulder, "What are you drawing?"_

_The young girl pointed to the three other children running around,_

_and returned to her sketchbook._

_Naminé felt herself wondering who the other three were._

_She looked to each of them,_

_the boy with spiky brown hair,_

_the boy with weird silver hair reaching down his neck,_

_and finally the grinning read headed girl._

_They were all children,_

_Naminés' young self and the three others._

_They were no older than eight or nine,_

_but the silver haired one was the eldest._

_Naminé couldn't tell how, but she just knew._

_She turned back to the young girl she sat beside,_

"_Who are they?"_

_Young Naminé pause in her drawing._

_The older version tried again,_

"_They look familiar,_

_can you tell me about them?"_

_The girl looked up to the older version,_

_her eyes were sad._

"_You don't remember?"_

_Naminé raised a brow,_

"_Remember?"_

_She glanced at the other three rolling around on the beach,_

_and shook her head, "They look so familiar,_

_but I can't tell why."_

_The young girl tore off her sketch,_

_handing it to her older self,_

"_Here. I hope this will help."_

_The older version took the gift,_

_slightly confused,_

"_Help? With what?"_

"_Look at it."_

_She did._

_And it made her brow furrow,_

_the drawing had all four children in it,_

_they were sitting on the bent palms_

_looking on as the sun set over the sea._

_She felt a flicker of recognition in the back of her head,_

_she _knew_them!_

_She tried to think hard about who they were,_

_but nothing would come._

_All she got were fluttering feelings._

_Happiness._

_Serenity._

_And a deep sadness paired with longing._

_But she could not place these feeling with any event._

_She turned to her young self,_

"_I- I'm getting some weird feelings,_

_but I can't really remember."_

_The young girls blue eyes filled with tears,_

_she started to silently cry,_

"_You can't forget!_

_You need them."_

_she choked back another sob,_

"_I need them..."_

_The waterworks started anew,_

_the older girl was comforting the young one,_

_embracing and rocking her gently,_

"_Shh. It's okay."_

"_No it's not."_

_came the muffled response._

_The young one clutched Naminé closer,_

"_It won't be okay if you don't remember."_

"_Perhaps I could be of some assistance there."_

_They turned to this new voice,_

_A black long coated man waved a black gloved hand,_

"_Hey, how's it goin'?"_

_He had his hood up._

_They both would have been scared of him,_

_but that changed the instant he sat down_

_and gave the younger Naminé a sea salt ice cream bar._

_He gestured to the other children on the beach,_

"_Go, play. Have fun."_

_She looked at him doubtfully,_

"_My mommy says not to talk to strangers."_

_She slipped down the tree trunk_

_and was about to hand the ice cream back._

_He held up a hand to stop her._

_He sighed,_

"_Look kid, I just need to talk with her,"_

_He pointed to the older Naminé with his thumb,_

"_so she can remember and be happy."_

_The older Naminé spoke up,_

"_Why do people think I need to remember?_

_Did I actually _forget_anything at all?"_

_The stranger turned to her,_

"_Would it make sense to remember that you forgot_

_until you remembered something?"_

_She blinked,_

"_I guess... not?"_

_The question,_

_let alone the answer,_

_eluded her grasp of comprehension._

_He turned back to the young girl,_

"_Keep the ice cream,"_

_he ruffled her hair playfully,_

"_and go have fun._

_I'll make sure she remembers."_

_The young girl brightened,_

_and gave him a hug,_

"_Thanks mister!"_

_and she ran off to the other kids,_

_licking her salty sweet treat._

_He plopped himself next to her on the warped palm,_

"_So... I see you have a memory problem."_

_Naminé shifted,_

_uncomfortable speaking with a total stranger,_

"_Who are you?"_

_She could almost see his grin under the dark hood,_

_his voice was teasing,_

"_I don't think I should give you new memories,_

_not until the old ones resurface."_

_Sh blinked again,_

_still confused,_

"_But I didn't forget anything!"_

_she paused in her tirade._

_If she had forgotten,_

_what was keeping these memories repressed?_

_Did she discover some horrible secret?_

_Had something horrible happened to her?_

_He sighed again,_

"_Look, all you need to do is look at that picture,_

_and focus."_

_She did as she was told and listened to the rest of his explanation,_

"_Once you wake up,_

_everything will come back to you..._

_and them._

_Piece by piece._

_Chain by chain._

_Link by link."_

_She gasped as images flitted through her mind._

_They abated and she stared at him,_

"_What did you do?"_

_He held up his hands in innocence,_

"_Hey, I just gave you the right words."_

_She thought back to what he said,_

_'_Piece by piece.

Chain by chain.

Link by link._'_

_She smiled and stood with him,_

"_I think I'm starting to understand..._

_at least a little bit._

_The darkness slightly parted under his hood,_

_She could see his smile, but nothing else._

"_Good._

_And when you start the process_

_they will start to remember as well."_

_He was about to walk off, but Naminé caught his arm,_

"_Wait."_

_He did, and turned to see a pleading look in her eyes._

"_Who are you?_

_How can I trust you?_

_Did I forget you too?"_

_He laughed and she bashfully let him have his arm back._

_He stopped laughing, but was still in good humor,_

"_Does anyone tell you that you ask to many questions?"_

"_No." she grumbled._

"_I don't usually talk to a lot of people."_

_Most people would be sad about this,_

_but Naminé had things to keep her distracted from the loneliness._

_He nodded,_

"_Not a people person..._

_I can respect that."_

_He scratched the back of his hood,_

"_Fact is, I'm in the same boat..."_

_Naminé quirked a brow,_

"_Really?"_

_Her tone took to sarcasm,_

"_So I guess you have a bunch of people,_

_images, dreams, and other strange stuff,_

_happen to you?"_

_She continues, anger seeping into her tone,_

"_And all of it makes you question_

_what's real and what's an illusion."_

_He waved his hands in defense,_

"_Hey! I only meant about the socialization thing!"_

_She quieted until he muttered,_

"_Must be your time of the month."_

_She smacked his hooded head,_

"_I'm _not_ PMSing,_

_thank you very much."_

_He rubbed the abused area,_

"_Alright! I surrender!_

_I'm sorry!"_

_She put her foot down,_

_being firm with the mysterious person,_

"_Get out of my dream!_

_You're not even real!"_

_She swept her arm out to gesture to the children,_

"_Hell, even _they_ aren't real!"_

_She usually didn't curse,_

_but she was a little miffed._

_She pushed him_

_and forced him to start walking across the wooden bridge._

_Pushing him went smoother than it should,_

"_Get out!"_

_She could hear the smugness of his tone,_

"_I thought you wanted answers."_

_She paused,_

_and contemplated the pros and cons._

_She conceded,_

"_Fine, you win."_

_She turned him around to face her,_

"_Will you answer me now?"_

_He bowed,_

"_Of course."_

_he straightened up._

_Naminé tapped her foot, impatient already._

_This was _her_ dream._

_And he sure as hell wasn't something she thought up._

"_Well? I'm waiting."_

_He nodded,_

"_Fine. I'm here to assist in your recollection."_

"_Recollection of what?"_

_He started to pace,_

_but it didn't bother the girl._

_She could feel energy emanating from him,_

_obviously he needed some way to work it off._

"_Memories. And not just yours."_

_He bobbed his head in the direction of the three children._

_She gazed at them,_

_their appearances and their interactions with her younger self_

_tickled at her mind._

"_Everything you see in this dream _is_ real."_

_She turned her gaze back on him,_

_it was disbelieving,_

"_What?"_

_She scoffed,_

"_But this is just a dream."_

_She could see that smile again,_

_it was understanding and kind._

_Naminé wasn't sure,_

_but the stranger seemed a little familiar as well._

"_Just because you dream it,_

_doesn't mean it never exists."_

_She tried to process what he said,_

_but in the end she found she needed elaboration,_

"_Could you explain that?"_

_He ceased pacing and leaned against a tree,_

"_Everything here comes from your mind._

_Now what else could have brought this on?_

_Besides your creative imagination."_

_Her brow furrowed,_

"_If it it's from my head..."_

"_Go on..."_

_Naminé knew the answer._

_The conversation had been centered around it._

"_My memories?"_

_He nodded._

"_But that can't be-"_

_He stopped her,_

"_Think about it."_

_he gestured to the space around them,_

"_All your thoughts and emotions are connected._

_Through those we form bonds with those we hold dear._

_And these bonds are not to be messed with lightly."_

_She gasped in realization,_

"_Chain by chain._

_Link by link."_

"_Exactly."_

_She shook her head in confusion,_

"_But how?_

_How could anyone tamper with something so..._

_Sacred."_

_She silently cried at what she lost._

_The girl was certain she would regain her memories,_

_but why were they tampered in the first place?_

_He came and rubbed her shoulder in comfort._

"_Hey, look at me."_

_She did._

"_You may have lost something precious,_

_but you got it back._

_Isn't that what matters?"_

_She wiped the tears away and nodded,_

"_Yeah."_

_She shifted and gently took his arm away._

_She looked to him hopefully,_

_Did... did I know you too?"_

_The stranger looked to the sunset,_

"_Yes."_

_and turned back to her,_

"_But we only met for a short time._

_You didn't learn much about me."_

_He was about to walk through the wooden door nearby,_

_but the girl stopped him by seizing his arm again._

_She was determined to get answers._

"_Were we friends?"_

"_I don't think-"_

_She pressed him a bit more firmly,_

_Squeezing his arm as she asked again:_

"_Were we friends?"_

_He sighed,_

_defeated by the unrelenting force that is Naminé,_

"_You could say that..."_

_She glared at him._

_He raised his arms, taking himself out of her grasp._

"_I don't know what I should tell you okay?"_

_He was exasperated._

_Naminé tried again,_

_this time in a more gentle tone._

"_Why not the truth?_

_I'll remember eventually."_

_He rubbed his clothed neck,_

"_You'll only remember the memories you severed-"_

_he stopped and starred,_

_trying to gauge her reaction._

_He revealed to much._

_Naminé caught the information,_

"_The memories __**I**__ severed?"_

_She looked at her hands,_

"_I did this?_

_How?"_

_she glared at him again._

"_Why?"_

_He rushed to the door,_

"_Crap!_

_I shouldn't have said that."_

_She held the door shut with her foot,_

_while he tugged at it._

"_Let me go."_

"_Answer me and I will."_

_He groaned and abandoned the door,_

_gripping her shoulders while leveling his stare,_

"_Look, you may not like the answers but-"_

"_I don't care!"_

_She snapped,_

"_I have a right to know."_

"_Naminé"_

_He said her name with a touch of affection._

_It caught her off guard more when he hugged her._

_He broke away._

"_I'm sorry._

_But you'll find the answers when you start remembering more."_

_He opened the door._

_She did nothing,_

_still shocked by his earlier actions._

"_I'll see you again._

_I promise._

_When that time comes..._

_I'll help you control your power."_

_He fled through the doorway._

_When it was almost shut Naminé regained her senses,_

"_Come back!"_

_She rushed to the door just as it shut._

_She yanked it open,_

_but saw nothing but the yawning darkness._

_She shut it and slid down the frame._

_She started to cry again._

_She tilted her head to gaze at the children._

_The tears stopped._

_One of the children were missing._

_She looked up to see the red headed girl standing over her._

"_Hi Nami! Long time no see."_

_She was bright and cheerful._

_Naminé took a moment to respond,_

_wiping the tears and tracks off._

"_H-how do you know me?"_

_The girl frowned,_

"_You mean you don't remember me?"_

_She pouted,_

"_That's mean Nami!"_

_she turned with a huff,_

"_Forgetting your best friend. Hmph!"_

_Naminé took the younger girl in an embrace,_

"_I'm sorry. I'm trying my best."_

_The girl turned and pointed to a paopu fruit on a tree._

"_Remember our promise?"_

_She looked at the tree._

_A feeling washed over her._

"_Kai-"_

Naminé awoke with a gasp as she bolted to a sitting position. She groaned as she hit her alarm. Awarding the item that awoke her with broken plastic. She was _so_ close. She almost had the memories!

She was a bit confused as she got ready for the day, "_How did I remember everything about that dream? It felt like it was more than a dream..." _She paused from brushing her teeth and starred at her reflection. Her eyes looked lost, but in the way that she was in deep thought.

"_Weird..._" she shrugged and continued her new morning routine. She glanced at the living room clock as she was preparing her eggs. "7:30." she let out a relieved breath, "_Looks like I have a while. Classes don't start till nine._" Usually most people would sleep in for the bare minimum amount of time to get ready, but Naminé was not most people. She liked waking up a little early. It let her muse over what the rest of the day will be like. Usually she reserved sleeping in for weekends or vacations.

She glanced at her messenger back, "_Which this day is definitely not..._" She ate her eggs, biscuit, and bacon as she flipped through one of her numerous sketchpads. She filled out a lot and liked to keep them. She'd been drawing ever since she could hold a pencil. When she entered grade school she started to draw scenes out of her life. Her drawings were literally like flipping through memory lane for the girl.

She frowned, "_Except I'm missing three years worth._" A few years back she wanted to walk through her memories in order, but found a few years worth missing from the shelf. Everything from the time she turned five to when she was eight and a half was missing.

She hadn't thought much of it till this morning. "_The morning after that dream._" she propped her head on a supported hand, "_I wonder who he is? And why he wants me to remember._" she shook the thoughts away, "_No Naminé. Don't go there. It was just a dream. Now get on with your life._" she sighed and hoped she was right. If it was otherwise... "_No! Focus on something else..._"

Like school. Unlike many other students, Naminé was not dreading school. But she was eager for the year to begin. "_New school, new rules, new classes, and new faces._" sure she was scared of what might come of the day. But she was excited at the same time. "_Sophomore year, a new school..._"

When she moved here she heard around the town that the school had an _amazing_ art/theater program. She had two other city choices to move to, but chose this one. Twilight Town High was one of the most prestigious schools in the Destiny Islands area after all.

She continued flipping through the book, but was confused when she came upon the last three pages. "_I don't remember drawing these._" The first was of a boy wearing a coat like the stranger in her dream had. The second was of him and two other people eating ice cream on... "_Hold on... is that the station clock tower?_" she shook her head in amazement, "_I don't even know who these people are..._" the next picture was a set of drawings. A roman numeral for thirteen. Naminé standing with another girl who had red hair. Both of them were holding... "_What are those? Are they swords? They look a lot like keys._"

She shut the book and set it on the shelf next to the others. She contemplated what those last three drawings meant as she washed her dishes and loaded them in the dishwasher. She sank onto the living room couch and flipped on the news. She had some time left and she would like to be prepared for the days weather. Clear skies the whole day. "_But with a seventy percent chance of muddled thoughts._"

She flipped off the screen and decided to see if she had everything she needed in her bag. She rummaged in it, "Paper, check. Folders, check. Pencils, check. Colored pencils, check. Binders, check. Art supplies..." she shifted a few items and found them below the binders, "check. Now what am I forgetting..."

She tapped her foot and set the bag on the kitchen table. "Ah!" with a sudden revelation she grabbed three items that she would defiantly need today; her wallet, a book from her collection, and her current empty sketchbook. She tucked her wallet in a secret pocket of her bag and put the rest beside her binders before snapping the bag shut.

Naminé glanced at the clock with a sigh, "Eight... Guess I can walk there to pass the time." She grabbed her cell from the charger, "_Not that I have anyone to call._" she thought with a flicker of sadness before she squelched it. Grabbed her bag as she went out and locked the door. Taking her cell and keys in her jeans pocket. She smoothed her white blouse on impulse before walking in the direction of her new school.

Kairi was walking along the road to Twilight Town High and gave an exasperated sigh at the argument her two friends were having. Like always it was about fighting. "There's no way Setzer can pull it off this year!" exclaimed the brown haired ball of energy. "He just paid off the judges and some players last year. But this year's different-"

"How?" interrupted the elder, silver haired boy. "I don't see how this year is any different. He'll just pay off a few people like always."

Sora grinned mischievously, "But that's where we come in!"

Riku huffed, "No way."

"C'mon Riku!"

"No." he denied again.

"But if we join the schools Struggle team-"

"We'll get whipped with the rest of them." he finished.

Sora pouted, "That's not it!" they walked in silence for a moment, "There may be older opponents, but with some training-"

Riku cut off the hopeful thought, "Sora, we've fought with each other with every known thing we could do brain damage with. But even with all that, this is the real deal. These people don't kid around."

Sora defended the idea, "It's not that bad. With a little practice we could take the prize."

Kairi decided to intervene, taking Sora's side, "I think he's right Riku. You two are the best fighters I know."

Riku raised a brow, "What about Hayner? Or Pence?"

She shrugged, "Hayner's the head of the school team, so he must be good. But Pence couldn't hurt a fly. He's just to gentle for that, but it's a good thing."

Riku gestured to the looming school, "So you think the team captain could win."

She glanced at the school and turned back to the two boys, "I've never seen Hayner fight, but considering the schools track record in this... They could use all the help they can get."

Sora pumped an arm in victory, "Yes!" he turned to his best friend, "So what do ya say?"

Riku scratched his head, "Fine. I'll think about it." Sora was about to push, but Riku stopped him, "Just give me till lunch, alright?"

Sora nodded and they made their way to the steps. Hayner met them at the foot and they stopped to talk. "Hey." greeted the captain, "Good to see you guys." he looked between the two boys, "Did ya hear the rumors about the next tourney?"

They all shook their heads. Kairi spoke up, "What's up? They changing it to a beauty pageant or something?"

He snorted, "When hell freezes over." this earned him laughs from Olette beside him and the other three, but Pence at his side looked scared about something.

Kairi noticed this, "Hey Pence," he jumped slightly startled, "do you know about this piece of news?"

He nodded vigorously as he stuttered, "Y-y-yeah. It's not good news."

This gained the attention of everyone and the atmosphere grew serious. Sora spoke up, eager to hear what happened to the Struggle tourney, "What is it? Did they cancel the tournament?"

Hayner sighed, "No. But after the news they should."

Everyone was shocked by his admittance. Hayner would want the tourney to continue even if a hurricane was blowing through the town. He took a breath, "This year... they say Crow is going to compete."

Rikus' eyes bugged out, "Seriously?!" he quickly turned to Sora, "Okay I've decided. I'm out."

Sora tried to reassure him, "C'mon Riku! We'll probably not even see him. This just might be another hoax."

"It's not a hoax." Hayners' somber tone sent the stress level of the boys to a new high. "Setzer backed out. That means it's definite."

Riku shook his head, "Oh _hell_ no. No way am I facing _him_."

Kairi decided to voice the confusion for the rest of the girls, "Um... Who is Crow? I'm guessing he's really strong, judging by your reactions."

Sora hung his head, defeated as Pence spoke, "He's not just some kid. He's struggle legend. After he competed once, it changed the rules for the tourney forever."

Olette scoffed, "C'mon! It can't be that bad..."

Hayner clenched his fists, "It's worse than bad... You ever wonder why no one walks away with no more than bruises?"

Kairi raised an eyebrow, "What? That's all the damage you can do with those padded bats."

He shook his head in the negative, "No. Crow was only eight when he entered last." he held on to the railing to keep from bowling over, "But every one of his opponents were beaten to a bloody pulp and had to be hospitalized for a minimum of three months. And he took the title that year, but was banned for several after the tourney."

The girls paled and Pence turned a little green. Quiet overtook the group as they contemplated what would happen if they entered. Then Olette spoke the obvious question, "Are you still gonna compete with the team?"

He smacked the railing and turned to the group with a cocky grin, "Damn straight! I wouldn't pass up this chance for anything."

Riku tried to make him see reason, "He'll kill you out there!"

He waved away the concern, "Please! The judges can stop him at any time. And they only agreed to let him compete as long as there isn't a repeat of last time."

Sora relaxed, "We'll if that's how it's gonna be, I'm with you."

Kairi groaned and Riku face palmed, both in frustration for his lack of common sense. Hayner just grinned more as he slapped his new comrades shoulder, "Great! The tourney's in two weeks and the club could always use a new member." He started to walk up the steps with Pence and Olette. He called back, "Club meeting after school, don't be late!"

Sora waved back, "Don't worry, I'll be there." He was unprepared for the smack to the back of head, "OW!"

He was surprised to notice the assailant was Kairi. She was glowering at him with a raised hand, "You're gonna get hurt one of these days Sora." she walked up the steps and muttered, "I just hope I'm not there to see it." she entered the school.

Sora held up his hands in confusion, "What'd I do?"

Riku shook his head, "You my friend, are screwed in nine different ways. I still can't believe you're gonna do this."

Sora scratched the back of his head as they climbed the steps to the entryway, "So... Will you-"

"No!"

* * *

**I hope that was entertaining. I enjoyed typing up this chapter and I wanted it to continue, but I saw a good stopping point so I could work on the second chapter. I feel good about this, I just hope people don't hate me for leaving them hanging!**

**I have not idea when I'll be able to post the second chapter, so keep posted! I WILL update this story! For when I start something, I always finish it! The only exception to this rule is a rubix cube. (I could never solve the damn thing! I know, I suck! :p) If like this story so far I suggest you keep it under alert, I could update at anytime, and I REALLY want readers to stay on it!**

**IF you want more info about the story or other works I have in mind... Well you're just going to have to bribe me now aren't you? I accept Reviews or PMs relating to my work, stories, etc... And If you leave a good chunck about what you thought was good/bad/funny/awesome/llama, then I'll send you a wordy reply back along with a teaser to my next chapter or a few peaks at some Ideas I have floting around my demented skull.**

**Here's hoping I see some enthused fans!**

**Zaan- Crow Claw all the way!**


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